Coupon Hound or More Income Supplement

In all of my adult life I have maybe clipped coupons twice. As far as I can remember the coupons remained on the kitchen counter because I ran off to go shopping without them. What made me think about coupons is the Google Adsense advertisement on my blog for Kansas City Restaurant coupons.

Back in the day - I mean, way, way back in the day - if I did happen to look at coupons in the Sunday paper all I found were high-end name brand coupons, name brands I would never consider purchasing, first of all. Second of all, way back in the day, even with the discount from the coupon the name brand was still more expensive than the off-brand product I would purchase which - in my opinion - was just as good or dang near.

This isn't the case these days. John, my husband, is the opposite of me when it comes to clipping and using. And, he finds great deals even on off brand products.

"Do you need laundry detergent? They've a got 2x 32 load bottle for $1.99," he'll call to me from the living room.

Sometimes and more often than not, he'll come home from the grocery stores - because he'll shop at more than one - laden with plastic bags full of items and with the excitement of a child finding a five dollar bill on the sidewalk says, "Boy, did I make a killin' on pork roast. I got it for $1.48 a pound!"

"Is that good?" I ask in ignorance because I haven't grocery shopped in years.

"Oh yeah," he replies. "It's normally $1.99 a pound."

I have to give him credit, he manages to save us money. I haven't calculated how much but I have a feeling he manages to save us a bundle during a month. This of course means more money in our pockets which tickles John to no end. There's only one thing he likes better than getting a good deal with coupons and that's getting something for free.

And speaking of free, we haven't bought toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste or tooth brushes, etc. in a very long time. He travels three times a week selling to hospital gift shops. Part of what he furnishes and sells is what he calls sundries; shampoo, condition, aspirin, etc. Whenever he finds a damaged box of these goods he brings the box home rather than using company money to send it back.

Also, because he stays in motels three times a week, he'll stuff the extra roll of toilet paper from the motel bathroom into his overnight bag to bring home. Granted, it's not the softest nor the thickest toilet paper in the world but the way I figure it my bottom doesn't really care. It's not like it's going to pucker up and not do its job. And, like I said, John like getting things for free.

We're not rich by any stretch of the word but the money he's saving us using coupons and taking the motel toilet paper is in our pockets and not in the store's coffers.